Who is the best player in baseball today?

[champcruthik]

For the sake of fun argument, OFs I would take over Bryce Harper right now (July 12, 2012):
Matty 

Josh Hamilton

FedEx Braun 

Trout

Cutch

J. Upton

CarGo

Ellsbury

Joey Bats

Ribs Jones

Grandy

Giancarlo

Maybe category:

Cruz

Bourn

Beltran (I'm not entirely convinced personally)

Melky

Holliday

Pence

Bruce

Heyward

Trumbo 

D. Jennings (could make the case) 

 

[osh kosh bosh]

T.Dot/Etobicoke's own. 

 

[johnson1]

Originally Posted by ChampCruThik

For the sake of fun argument, OFs I would take over Bryce Harper right now (July 12, 2012):
Matty 

Josh Hamilton

FedEx Braun 

Trout

Cutch

J. Upton

CarGo

Ellsbury

Joey Bats

Ribs Jones

Grandy

Giancarlo

Maybe category:

Cruz

Bourn

Beltran (I'm not entirely convinced personally)

Melky

Holliday

Pence

Bruce

Heyward

Trumbo 

. Jennings (could make the case) 

Yoenis Cespedes

Josh Reddick

 

[champcruthik]

Oakland As fan, I guess. 

I'm surprised Reddick is having such a monster year. However, in my eyes, Cespedes was over hyped. Boom-or-bust type player. His evaluation was based on the craving desire of MLB GMs for the new-age five-tool players. 

 

[johnson1]

Originally Posted by ChampCruThik

Oakland As fan, I guess. 

I'm surprised Reddick is having such a monster year. However, in my eyes, Cespedes was over hyped. Boom-or-bust type player. His evaluation was based on the craving desire of MLB GMs for the new-age five-tool players. 

Yoenis has been a pretty solid hitter with nice flashes of power, so many dumb little nagging injuries tho.

His defense has been surprisingly weak, especially when they put him in left field, it has gotten downright ugly.

 

[kevin cleveland]

Votto.

 

[scuse7]

I'm thinking Andrew McCutchen soon.

 

[madj55]

Originally Posted by dland24

Originally Posted by tengoeljugode

Originally Posted by dland24

Not sure if serious.  Honestly if we are talking right this second, there are 50+ players I would take over Harper.  Maybe even 75-100.   

STOP it. You don't even believe that yourself.

There isn't a single player who impacts the game more than Bryce. He hits in front of a garbage Ryan Zimmerman and is really the only bat to be feared in the Nationals lineup.

I absolutely believe that.  We are talking about RIGHT THIS SECOND.  Not talking about how good he will be next year, 3 years from now, or in his prime.  Right now.   No way does Harper impact the game more than any player in baseball.  That statement is absolutely comical.
  

There are not 75-100 players you would take before Harper, that being said he's nowhere near the best in the game. Ryan Braun is the best player in the game currently, whether he's on PED's or not. 

 

[champcruthik]

^ Why Braun and not Hamilton or Matty? 

 

[madj55]

He isn't as injury prone as those two, and he has been consistently putting up at least .300/25/100 for the last six seasons while also stealing 15 or more bases in that time frame. His defense in left is also above average, while Kemp is shaky in CF. I just don't think Matt Kemp will ever be consistent enough from season to season to be the best player in the game, hope I'm wrong though because he has the potential to be the best.

 

[dland24]

Originally Posted by madj55

Originally Posted by dland24

Originally Posted by tengoeljugode


STOP it. You don't even believe that yourself.

There isn't a single player who impacts the game more than Bryce. He hits in front of a garbage Ryan Zimmerman and is really the only bat to be feared in the Nationals lineup.

I absolutely believe that.  We are talking about RIGHT THIS SECOND.  Not talking about how good he will be next year, 3 years from now, or in his prime.  Right now.   No way does Harper impact the game more than any player in baseball.  That statement is absolutely comical.
  

There are not 75-100 players you would take before Harper, that being said he's nowhere near the best in the game. Ryan Braun is the best player in the game currently, whether he's on PED's or not. 

You are right.  There isnt 75-100.  I just made a list (slow day at work).  I got stuck at 59.

 

[brownin187]

Jose Bautista

 

[aristotle604]

I don't think there is a clear cut best player right now. Hamilton is injury prone as well while Votto doesn't really have the speed and I'm bitter that he signed long term to Cincy (lol...come to Toronto man!!)... so I'm gonna go with Joey Bats! Haha, I'm kidding, the best player is steroids.

 

[abovelegit1]

^^Referencing RBIs? Really?


Those three outfielders are great and all, but Joey Votto leads the majors in cumulative WAR and wOBA accounting for the past three seasons. Currently leading the majors in OPS, and has an OBP ~30 points higher than anyone else - almost certainly has the best eye/pitch recognition in the bigs. He's also a plus defender at first.

Best in the game.

 

[durden7]

Harper is good, but theres NO WAY a kid who has played less than half a season can be considered the best player in the league.  He barely made the all star team.

 

[nightruans]

Hamilton HANDS DOWN, dude has been killing the ball this year, this isn't even a question...

 

[madj55]

Originally Posted by abovelegit1

^^Referencing RBIs? Really?


Those three outfielders are great and all, but Joey Votto leads the majors in cumulative WAR and wOBA accounting for the past three seasons. Currently leading the majors in OPS, and has an OBP ~30 points higher than anyone else - almost certainly has the best eye/pitch recognition in the bigs. He's also a plus defender at first.

Best in the game.

You're one of those new stat guys I see, but I still see RBIs as a valuable stat for players plugged in the middle of lineups. 

 

[abovelegit1]

Originally Posted by madj55

Originally Posted by abovelegit1

^^Referencing RBIs? Really?


Those three outfielders are great and all, but Joey Votto leads the majors in cumulative WAR and wOBA accounting for the past three seasons. Currently leading the majors in OPS, and has an OBP ~30 points higher than anyone else - almost certainly has the best eye/pitch recognition in the bigs. He's also a plus defender at first.

Best in the game.

You're one of those new stat guys I see, but I still see RBIs as a valuable stat for players plugged in the middle of lineups. 

Those "new stats" are infinitely more relevant than the ones you're using. It's 2012 - no MLB front office is still using flawed measures like RBIs and BA to evaluate players when they can use those "new stats."

 

[tsamshox]

Kemp
Cano
Hamilton
Votto
McCutchen

 

[N41D]

Hamilton swings too damn much... It's a big flaw that makes him susceptible to month long slumps where he becomes virtually useless.

Votto, Kemp, Trout *ducks*, Hamilton, McCutchen, Wright... Can't go wrong.

 

[mez 0ne]

Originally Posted by tSamShoX

Kemp
Cano
Hamilton
Votto
McCutchen

Can't have a top 5 without Miguel Cabrera.

 

[champcruthik]

^ I mean if we're gonna nitpick, I like Cutch as much as the next guy, but you can't possibly have him in a top-5 over Braun. And I don't even like FedEx personally for the record.
Mez, I suppose Miggy detractors would argue his poor defense removes him from serious merit. 

 

[airjordan jb23]

Originally Posted by Johnson1

Matt Kemp

 

[macbk]

Cano has the sweetest swing and consistent stellar defense at 2B. My un-biased-as-possible vote goes to him.

 

[madj55]

Originally Posted by abovelegit1

Originally Posted by madj55

Originally Posted by abovelegit1

^^Referencing RBIs? Really?


Those three outfielders are great and all, but Joey Votto leads the majors in cumulative WAR and wOBA accounting for the past three seasons. Currently leading the majors in OPS, and has an OBP ~30 points higher than anyone else - almost certainly has the best eye/pitch recognition in the bigs. He's also a plus defender at first.

Best in the game.

You're one of those new stat guys I see, but I still see RBIs as a valuable stat for players plugged in the middle of lineups. 

Those "new stats" are infinitely more relevant than the ones you're using. It's 2012 - no MLB front office is still using flawed measures like RBIs and BA to evaluate players when they can use those "new stats."

So you actually buy into BABIP and stuff like that?